A wire harness hidden lifting aluminum stand column and electric lifting system

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of table and chair accessories technology, specifically disclosing a wire harness concealed lifting aluminum column and its electric lifting system. The lifting column houses a first and second motion reference component that move with two relatively telescopic parts, a midpoint follower mechanism, a rotating take-up mechanism, and a cable. The midpoint follower mechanism causes the sliding sleeve to move axially by half the relative displacement of the two motion reference components. The rotating take-up mechanism drives the rotating sleeve to rotate in both directions via a transmission component mechanically linked to the relative axial movements, with the middle section of the cable fixed relative to the rotating sleeve in the circumferential direction. When the column shortens, the rotating sleeve moves and rotates axially with the sliding sleeve, causing the cable to gradually form a spiral storage structure from the middle section. When the column extends, the spiral storage structure is released in the opposite direction, thereby controlling the cable's extension and retraction position and spatial shape, reducing local small-radius bending and entanglement interference.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of table and chair accessories technology, specifically to a wire harness concealed lifting aluminum column and an electric lifting system. Background Technology

[0002] Electric height-adjustable desks typically use telescopic columns to change the height of the desktop. Besides the column tubes, lead screws, and transmission components that work with the lead screws to support axial extension and load-bearing capacity, the telescopic column may also need to house cables for power transmission, drive connections, control signal transmission, or other electrical connections. To minimize exposed cables on the exterior of the desk and maintain electrical connection between the desktop side and the base, at least a portion of the cables can be housed within the internal space of the telescopic column.

[0003] When a cable is bridging two retractable sections of a post, the change in the post's length directly alters the spatial distance between the cable's ends. When the post moves from an extended to a shortened state, the cable previously used to span a longer axial distance requires some slack to accommodate; conversely, when the post moves from a shortened to an extended state, this slack must be released. Therefore, concealed cabling not only requires the cable to extend and retract with the post but also demands that any excess cable length have a defined storage location and a reversible release path within the limited internal space of the post.

[0004] Chinese invention patent application CN110626974A, entitled "A Cable-Built Electric Lifting Column," discloses a scheme for arranging cables inside a linear lifting column. This scheme involves installing a first cable retainer and a second cable retainer inside a telescopic sleeve assembly. The cable passes through the telescopic sleeve assembly and is confined by the two cable retainers, with a free section formed between the two retainers. When the column extends or retracts, the upper end of the cable moves with the column, and the free section is used to retract or extend the cable length, thereby limiting the change in cable length within the area between the two cable retainers.

[0005] Chinese invention patent application CN110392538A, entitled "Retractable Column with Internal Cables," discloses another method for internal cable management. This solution involves installing a cable guiding device inside the retractable column and connecting it to a tensioning device. The tensioning device controls the position of the cable guiding device according to the column's extension or retraction. In a specific embodiment, the cable guiding device can be a pulley, which is connected to a spring-loaded tensioning device via a line. When the column extends or retracts, the pulley moves within the column, causing the cable to form a U-shaped turn around the pulley and remain in a tensioned arrangement, thereby reducing the possibility of interference between the cable and the drive mechanism.

[0006] As can be seen from the existing technology described above, there are already corresponding technical approaches to arranging cables inside telescopic columns and changing their effective length as the column extends and retracts: one approach utilizes free line segments within a defined range to absorb or release excess cable, while another approach uses movable cable guides and tensioning devices to change the cable path. For the long and narrow telescopic columns of electric height-adjustable desks, when both ends of the cable remain connected with different extension sections, if there is no definite correspondence between the extension / retraction position, extension / retraction amount, and spatial shape of the excess cable segment, situations may still occur where the excess cable concentrates in localized areas, the local bending radius decreases, or the cable segment approaches internal moving components. Summary of the Invention

[0007] This invention provides a wire harness concealed lifting aluminum column and an electric lifting system, which mainly solves the problems of cables hidden inside the telescopic column having excessively small local bending radii, uncontrolled spatial positions, and entanglement and interference with internal moving components due to the free stacking of spare capacity during the column's extension and retraction.

[0008] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solution.

[0009] A concealed lifting aluminum column for cable harnesses includes a telescopic column and a cable located inside the telescopic column. The telescopic column includes a first column tube and a second column tube that extend and retract relative to each other along the axial direction. The lifting column also includes a first motion reference component and a second motion reference component that move axially with the first and second column tubes, a midpoint follower mechanism, and a rotating take-up mechanism. The first and second motion reference components move relative to each other along the axial direction. The midpoint follower mechanism includes a sliding sleeve and a follower transmission assembly that cooperates with the first and second motion reference components. The follower transmission assembly causes the axial displacement of the sliding sleeve relative to the first motion reference component to be half of the relative axial displacement of the two motion reference components. The rotating take-up mechanism includes a rotating sleeve rotatably disposed on the sliding sleeve and a rotating transmission assembly. The rotating transmission assembly is mechanically linked to the relative axial movement of the two motion reference components and drives the rotating sleeve to rotate in the forward or reverse direction. The middle section of the cable is fixed relative to the rotating sleeve in the circumferential direction. The rotating sleeve moves and rotates axially with the sliding sleeve to form a spiral cable storage when the telescopic column shortens and to release the spiral cable storage in the reverse direction when the telescopic column extends.

[0010] Furthermore, the first motion reference component is a fixed tube, and the second motion reference component is a protective tube. The fixed tube is axially synchronized with the first column tube, and the protective tube is relatively fixed with the second column tube. A lead screw drive assembly is installed inside the column. The lead screw drive assembly includes a lead screw and a nut that is threaded into the lead screw. The nut is located at one end of the fixed tube. The protective tube is located outside the lead screw, and one end of the protective tube is sleeved on the outside of the fixed tube and forms an axial sliding fit with the fixed tube. Thus, when the lead screw drives the column to extend or retract, an axial relative displacement corresponding to the extension or retraction of the column is formed between the fixed tube and the protective tube. At the same time, the protective tube isolates the area surrounding the lead screw, spatially distinguishing the cable retraction / delay area from the lead screw drive area.

[0011] Furthermore, the follower transmission assembly includes a rack one disposed on the first motion reference member, a rack two disposed on the second motion reference member, and a gear one rotatably mounted on the sliding sleeve. Rack one and rack two extend axially along the column and are located on opposite sides of gear one, with the opposite sides of gear one meshing with rack one and rack two respectively. When the two motion reference members move relative to each other, the relative displacement of the two racks simultaneously causes gear one to rotate and its axial center to move, causing the sliding sleeve carrying gear one to undergo axial follower motion with its stroke halved. Thus, the axial displacement of the sliding sleeve relative to either motion reference member is half the relative axial displacement between the two motion reference members, and the sliding sleeve remains in the central region determined by the relative stroke of both.

[0012] Furthermore, the rotary transmission assembly includes a second gear fixed to the same shaft as the first gear and a gear ring fixed to the rotating sleeve. The gear ring is disposed on the inner circumference of the rotating sleeve, and the second gear meshes with the gear ring. The rotation of the first gear due to the relative motion of the two racks is transmitted to the coaxial second gear, which then drives the gear ring and the rotating sleeve to rotate, thereby synchronously converting the relative axial motion of the two motion reference components into the axial midpoint follow-up motion of the sliding sleeve and the circumferential retraction and expansion motion of the rotating sleeve.

[0013] Furthermore, the pitch circle diameter of gear one and the tooth ratio of gear two to the gear ring are determined based on the maximum extension stroke of the column, the required cable length to be wound and unwound corresponding to the maximum extension stroke, and the effective winding diameter when the cable forms a spiral storage structure. This ensures that the cumulative winding and unwound length corresponding to the rotation of the rotating sleeve within the maximum extension stroke corresponds to the required cable length to be wound and unwound. Through the above parameter relationship, when the column produces a certain axial extension and retraction, the rotating sleeve produces a rotation angle corresponding to that stroke, reducing cable loosening caused by insufficient winding of the rotating sleeve and cable tension caused by excessive winding of the rotating sleeve.

[0014] Furthermore, the rotating sleeve is fitted around the outer circumference of the sliding sleeve and rotates in conjunction with the sliding sleeve. It also rotates relative to the sliding sleeve around the axis of the column, and the rotating sleeve moves synchronously with the sliding sleeve along the axial direction of the column. As a result, the middle section of the cable fixed on the rotating sleeve simultaneously generates axial and circumferential displacement when the column extends or retracts, causing the cable allowance to be distributed from the middle to both sides of the rotating sleeve in a spatial spiral pattern, rather than being concentrated in a single axial position and forming a foldback.

[0015] Furthermore, the rotating sleeve is equipped with a cable threading groove and a fastening plate. After the cable passes through the cable threading groove, it is clamped by the fastening plate, establishing a circumferential transmission relationship between the middle section of the cable and the rotating sleeve. At least one side of the cable threading groove has a continuous curved surface for guiding the cable bending transition. This continuous curved surface is used to allow the cable to gradually change direction when entering or exiting the spiral winding area from the straight extension area, reducing the occurrence of local abrupt angles at the edge of the groove.

[0016] Furthermore, the telescopic column has an installation port at the position corresponding to the fastening plate, through which the fastening plate is inserted or removed.

[0017] This invention also provides an electric lifting system, including an electric lifting table, a controller, a remote control, and a power module. The electric lifting table includes a tabletop, a base frame, a drive unit, and at least two lifting columns. The lifting columns are connected between the tabletop and the base frame. At least one lifting column is a wire harness-concealed lifting aluminum column as described in any of the above technical solutions. The controller is used to control the operation of the drive unit, the remote control is used to input lifting operation commands to the controller, and the power module is used to supply power to the electrical components in the electric lifting system.

[0018] Furthermore, in the electric lifting system, one end of the cable leads to the base frame side and the other end leads to the desktop side.

[0019] The main advantages of this invention, achieved by adopting the above technical solution, are as follows: When the first and second motion reference members, which move with the two relatively telescopic parts respectively, generate axial relative displacement, the midpoint follower mechanism uses this relative displacement as mechanical input to cause the sliding sleeve to move axially by half of the relative stroke. This ensures that the sliding sleeve and the rotating sleeve on it remain continuously in the middle region of the telescopic section. The cable winding and unwinding action position migrates synchronously with the change in distance between the two ends, reducing the concentration of excess cable length on one side. Simultaneously, the rotary transmission assembly uses the same relative axial motion to drive the rotating sleeve to rotate forward or backward, ensuring that the change in the midpoint position is mechanically synchronized with the cable rotation and winding / unwinding under the same telescopic action, eliminating the need for a separate cable winding execution mechanism.

[0020] As the column moves from an elongated state to a shortened state, the axial movement of the sliding sleeve and the circumferential rotation of the rotating sleeve combine to cause the middle section of the cable, which is circumferentially fixed relative to the rotating sleeve, to change position simultaneously along both the axial and circumferential directions. The excess cable length is thus gradually dispersed into a spiral-shaped cable storage pattern around the corresponding fitting. This cable storage pattern disperses the potentially concentrated, sharp reversals within a certain axial length and circumferential range, and the effective winding diameter of the rotating sleeve and the curvature of the cable groove limit the degree of cable bending. When the column extends in the reverse direction, the relative motion direction of the rack, the rotation direction of the gear, and the rotation direction of the rotating sleeve all simultaneously reverse, and the formed spiral segment gradually unwinds along the opposite path, thus making the winding and unwinding reversible.

[0021] Furthermore, after the pitch circle diameter of gear one and the transmission ratio between gear two and the gear ring are set according to the required cable length and effective winding diameter, the rotation angle of the rotating sleeve can establish a definite correspondence with the stroke of the column. This correspondence ensures that the system does not rely solely on the cable's own tension to determine the winding degree, but rather that the mechanical displacement of the column directly limits the winding and unwinding actions. This helps maintain a similar cable tension at different lifting heights and reduces issues such as excessively small local bending radii, cable segment intersections, and cables approaching internal moving parts like the lead screw. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an electric height-adjustable desk.

[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement of the screw drive assembly, fixing pipe, protective pipe, and cables inside the column.

[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the overall layout of the lead screw, fixed tube, protective tube, rotating take-up mechanism, and cable.

[0025] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram showing the structural relationship between the rotating sleeve, gear two, gear ring, threading groove, and fastening plate.

[0026] Figure 5 A schematic diagram showing the partial fit between rack 2, sliding sleeve and gear 1 on the side of the tube to protect it.

[0027] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram showing the spiral cable storage state and the relative positions of rack one and rack two.

[0028] Figure label: 1. Telescopic column; 11. First column tube; 12. Second column tube; 2. Screw drive assembly; 21. Screw; 22. Nut; 3. Fixing tube; 4. Protective tube; 5. Midpoint follow-up mechanism; 51. Sliding sleeve; 52. Rack one; 53. Rack two; 54. Gear one; 6. Rotating take-up mechanism; 61. Rotating sleeve; 62. Gear two; 63. Gear ring; 64. Wire groove; 65. Fastening plate; 7. Cable; 8. Mounting port; 9. Electric lifting table; 91. Tabletop; 92. Base frame; 93. Drive component. Detailed Implementation

[0029] The specific embodiments are described below in conjunction with the structural relationships of the present invention. These embodiments are used to illustrate the connections, movements, and interactions between the components, and do not limit the actual dimensions of the components to the scale shown in the accompanying drawings. For ease of explanation, the direction of extension and retraction of the column is referred to as the axial direction, and the direction surrounding the column's axis is referred to as the circumferential direction.

[0030] like Figures 1-6 As shown, a wire harness concealed lifting aluminum column includes a telescopic column 1, a cable 7, a first motion reference component, a second motion reference component, a midpoint follower mechanism 5, and a rotating take-up mechanism 6. The telescopic column 1 includes a first column tube 11 and a second column tube 12, which slide relative to each other axially, allowing the telescopic column 1 to change its length between an extended and a shortened state. The first and second motion reference components move axially with the first and second column tubes 11 and 12, respectively, and provide relative axial displacement input to the midpoint follower mechanism 5 and the rotating take-up mechanism 6. In this embodiment, the first motion reference component is composed of a fixed tube 3, and the second motion reference component is composed of a protective tube 4. The cable 7 is disposed inside the telescopic column 1 and can be either a single cable with an insulated sheath or a wire harness composed of multiple conductors arranged as a whole.

[0031] The lead screw drive assembly 2 is located inside the telescopic column 1, and includes a lead screw 21 extending along the column axial direction and a nut 22 threadedly engaged with the lead screw 21. The nut 22 is located at one end of the fixed tube 3, and one end of the lead screw 21 serves as the power input end. When the lead screw 21 is driven to rotate, a relative helical motion is generated between the lead screw 21 and the nut 22, thereby forming axial extension and contraction between the first column tube 11 and the second column tube 12. The specific deceleration and power transmission form of the lead screw drive assembly 2 can be configured according to the load-bearing and speed requirements of the lifting table. The cable winding and unwinding mechanism of the present invention utilizes the existing axial relative displacement of the column, and does not require a separate electric drive source for the rotating cable winding mechanism 6.

[0032] The fixed tube 3, serving as the first motion reference element, and the protective tube 4, serving as the second motion reference element, are arranged along the axial direction of the column. The protective tube 4 is located outside the lead screw 21, with one end sleeved around the fixed tube 3 and forming an axial sliding fit with the fixed tube 3. In this embodiment, the fixed tube 3 is axially synchronized with the first column tube 11, and the protective tube 4 is relatively fixed with the second column tube 12, so that both move with the two relatively telescopic parts of the column. Therefore, when the telescopic column 1 changes length, an axial relative displacement corresponding to the telescopic action occurs between the fixed tube 3 and the protective tube 4. Here, "fixed tube" indicates that it has a defined motion reference on the corresponding telescopic side, and does not mean that it is absolutely stationary relative to the ground in all working states.

[0033] After the protective tube 4 is sleeved on the outside of the fixed tube 3, the area of ​​their mutual sleeve can change with the extension and retraction of the column. This sleeve relationship provides two reference components with relative axial movement for the midpoint follower mechanism 5, and separates the movement area of ​​the lead screw 21 from the main winding and unwinding area of ​​the cable 7. The sliding fit between the protective tube 4 and the fixed tube 3 should ensure that their relative movement is not hindered throughout the entire effective stroke.

[0034] The midpoint follower mechanism 5 is located in the relative movement area between the fixed tube 3 and the protective tube 4, and includes a sliding sleeve 51, a rack 52, a rack 53, and a gear 54. Rack 52 is fixedly mounted on the fixed tube 3 and extends axially, while rack 53 is fixedly mounted on the protective tube 4 and extends axially. Gear 54 is rotatably mounted on the sliding sleeve 51 via a shaft. One side of gear 54 meshes with rack 52, and the opposite side meshes with rack 53. Thus, gear 54 is sandwiched between two racks with relative axial displacement, and its shaft position is supported by the sliding sleeve 51.

[0035] When the fixed tube 3 and the protective tube 4 move axially relative to each other, the relative positions between rack 52 and rack 53 change synchronously. Since gear 54 is meshed with the two racks on opposite sides, it cannot simply translate with one rack or rotate in place; instead, it rotates and moves axially at the same time. Under normal meshing conditions between gear 54 and racks 52 and 53, the axial displacement of gear 54's shaft lies between the corresponding displacements of the two racks. Therefore, the movement of the sliding sleeve 51 forms half of the relative stroke. In other words, when a relative displacement occurs between the fixed tube 3 and the protective tube 4, the sliding sleeve 51 moves half of that relative displacement relative to one side of the reference member, and moves the remaining half relative to the other side of the reference member in the opposite manner.

[0036] The aforementioned stroke halving relationship constitutes the main positioning function of the midpoint follower mechanism 5. The "midpoint" referred to here is the midpoint of the effective relative stroke segment defined by the fixed tube 3 and the protective tube 4, rather than requiring the sliding sleeve 51 to be located at the absolute halfway point of the entire outer column tube's geometric length under any structural dimensions. This definition allows the sliding sleeve 51 to continuously migrate as the distance between the two relative telescopic ends changes, ensuring that the rotary take-up mechanism 6 mounted on the sliding sleeve 51 remains in a suitable position for take-up and untake-down from the middle of the cable 7.

[0037] The effective tooth lengths of racks 52 and 53 should cover the meshing range of the sliding sleeve 51 during its designed telescopic stroke, ensuring that gear 54 remains engaged with both racks when the column is fully extended, fully shortened, or at any intermediate height. The tooth surfaces of the two racks and the installation position of gear 54 are arranged according to a relative meshing relationship, ensuring a rotational connection between the shaft of gear 54 and the sliding sleeve 51 without axial displacement. In practical design, stable meshing should be ensured through tooth width, installation clearance, and guiding relationships to prevent gear 54 from disengaging from either rack due to lateral loads on the column tube.

[0038] The rotating take-up mechanism 6 is mounted on the sliding sleeve 51 and includes a rotating sleeve 61, a second gear 62, and a gear ring 63. The rotating sleeve 61 is fitted around the outer circumference of the sliding sleeve 51 and forms a circumferentially rotatable mounting relationship with the sliding sleeve 51. Simultaneously, the rotating sleeve 61 moves axially together with the sliding sleeve 51. The second gear 62 is fixed to the rotating shaft with the first gear 54, thus both have the same rotation direction and synchronous angular displacement. The gear ring 63 is fixedly disposed on the inner circumference of the rotating sleeve 61, and the second gear 62 meshes with the gear ring 63.

[0039] When gear 54 rotates due to relative motion between the two racks, gear 62, which is fixed coaxially, rotates synchronously. The meshing between gear 62 and gear ring 63 further transmits this rotation to the rotating sleeve 61, causing the rotating sleeve 61 to rotate relative to the sliding sleeve 51 around the column axis. Thus, the midpoint follower mechanism 5 is not only used to determine the cable retraction position, but the rotation of its internal gear 54 is also directly used as the driving force for the rotating take-up mechanism 6. A single axial extension or retraction of the column thus simultaneously produces two actions constrained by the same mechanical displacement: the sliding sleeve 51 performs a half-stroke follower along the axial direction, and the rotating sleeve 61 rotates around the axis in the forward or reverse direction corresponding to the extension or retraction direction.

[0040] The pitch circle diameter of gear 54 and the transmission ratio between gear 62 and gear ring 63 are not determined solely by the meshing of the components, but are set based on the actual required length of cable 7 to be extended or retracted. In the specific design, the effective extension / retraction stroke of the telescopic column 1 from its fully extended to fully retracted state is first determined. Then, based on the connection positions at both ends of cable 7 and the internal wiring path of the column, the required cable length to be absorbed corresponding to this extension / retraction stroke is determined. Subsequently, based on the effective winding diameter when the rotating sleeve 61 drives the cable 7 to form a spiral, the amount of rotation of the rotating sleeve 61 required to absorb this cable length is determined, and the pitch circle diameter of gear 54 and the transmission ratio between gear 62 and gear ring 63 are determined accordingly. Thus, within the maximum extension / retraction stroke, the cumulative extension / retraction length corresponding to the rotation of the rotating sleeve 61 corresponds to the required cable extension / retraction length for that stroke.

[0041] The above-mentioned transmission parameters allow for different parameter combinations in columns of different specifications without changing the basic transmission principle of the invention. If the column stroke increases and the allowance generated per unit stroke of cable 7 increases synchronously, at least one of the following can be adjusted: the pitch circle diameter of gear 54, the transmission relationship between gear 62 and gear ring 63, to change the cumulative rotation angle of the rotating sleeve 61 in the corresponding stroke. If the allowable bending radius of cable 7 is large, requiring a larger effective winding diameter, the target rotation angle can be changed accordingly. The design goal is to ensure that the retraction and extension actions of the rotating sleeve 61 within any given extension stroke correspond to the actual allowance change of cable 7 within that stroke, rather than simply pursuing a larger rotational speed.

[0042] The rotating sleeve 61 is provided with a threading groove 64 and a fastening plate 65. The threading groove 64 provides a path for the cable 7 to pass through a local area of ​​the rotating sleeve 61. After the middle section of the cable 7 is placed in the threading groove 64, it is clamped and fixed to the rotating sleeve 61 by the fastening plate 65. Here, "middle section" refers to the middle section located between the two ends of the cable 7, which is used to undertake the winding and unwinding actions. Its length is not required to be exactly equal to half of the physical length of the entire cable 7. Since this middle section is fixed to the rotating sleeve 61, the circumferential displacement can be directly transmitted to the cable 7 when the rotating sleeve 61 rotates, so that the cable 7 does not completely slip through the threading groove 64 at the beginning of the winding action.

[0043] At least one side wall of the cable guide 64 is a continuous curved surface to guide the bending transition of the cable 7. When the cable 7 enters the spiral state near the rotating sleeve 61 from a state of basically axial extension, its direction needs to change simultaneously in both the circumferential and axial directions; the continuous curved surface distributes this directional change within a certain contact length, reducing the possibility of the cable 7 directly bypassing the sharp edge of the guide and forming a local angle. For a cable 7 with a clearly defined minimum allowable bending radius, the surface profile of the cable guide 64 and the effective winding radius near the rotating sleeve 61 can be determined in conjunction with this minimum allowable bending radius to control the degree of bending of the cable 7 in the transition area.

[0044] The clamping function of the snap-fit ​​plate 65 is mainly used to establish a circumferential synchronous relationship between the cable 7 and the rotating sleeve 61. The clamping force of the snap-fit ​​plate 65 on the cable 7 should be sufficient to prevent the cable 7 from slipping along the cable threading groove 64 during normal winding and unwinding, without affecting the winding amount, and without damaging the insulation sheath. The telescopic column 1 is provided with an installation port 8 corresponding to the position of the snap-fit ​​plate 65. An installation cover can be detachably installed on the installation port 8. During assembly, the cable 7 can be placed into the cable threading groove 64 through the installation port 8 and the snap-fit ​​plate 65 can be installed. When maintenance or replacement of the cable 7 is required, the snap-fit ​​plate 65 can also be removed from the installation port 8 without completely disassembling the telescopic column 1. In this embodiment, both the first column tube 11 and the second column tube 12 are made of hollow aluminum profile tubes to balance the load-bearing capacity of the column, appearance, and internal structural installation space.

[0045] Cable 7 retains segments on both sides of the rotating sleeve 61 for connecting its two ends. The circumferential rotation of the rotating sleeve 61 is not intended to twist the entire cable 7 around its own axis, but rather to change the spatial path of adjacent segments inside the column by altering the middle section being clamped. When the sliding sleeve 51 moves axially and the rotating sleeve 61 rotates around its axis simultaneously, the clamping point of cable 7 experiences a combination of axial and circumferential displacement. Consequently, the segments located on both sides of the clamping point gradually transform into a helical path with axial pitch along the outer circumference of the fitting. This combined motion is a key reason why cable 7 can systematically store excess material from the middle.

[0046] During the column assembly stage, the first column tube 11, the second column tube 12, the lead screw 21, the fixing tube 3, and the protective tube 4 can be assembled first. Then, rack 1 52 and rack 2 53 are respectively engaged with the two sides of gear 1 54 on the sliding sleeve 51. After that, gear 2 62 is fixed coaxially with gear 1 54, and gear 2 62 is correctly engaged with the gear ring 63 inside the rotating sleeve 61. After the cable 7 passes through the inside of the column along the predetermined path, its middle section is placed into the cable groove 64 and clamped by the fastening plate 65. After the assembly is completed, the column should be moved back and forth without applying excessive cable tension to confirm that the midpoint of the sliding sleeve 51 follows the movement, the forward and reverse rotation of the rotating sleeve 61, and the spiral formation and release of the cable 7 are all continuous.

[0047] To determine the initial state, the telescopic column 1 can be placed in its fully extended position. At this time, the axial distance between the first column tube 11 and the second column tube 12 is at its maximum, and the effective wiring path between the two ends of the cable 7 is also relatively long. Therefore, the cable 7 is essentially released inside the column, and there is no need to form a large amount of spiral cable storage near the rotating sleeve 61. The term "essentially released" allows for necessary slack to accommodate assembly errors, end connections, and to avoid cable tension, but does not aim to form large, irregular sections of excess cable.

[0048] When the lead screw 21 rotates in the direction that shortens the telescopic column 1, the first column tube 11 and the second column tube 12 generate relative displacements in opposite directions, and the effective overlap between the fixed tube 3 and the protective tube 4 changes accordingly. Rack 1 52 and rack 2 53 move axially relative to each other, and gear 1 54 rotates while maintaining meshing on both sides, its axis driving the sliding sleeve 51 to move towards the new midpoint of its stroke. The movement of the sliding sleeve 51 is half the relative displacement between the fixed tube 3 and the protective tube 4, therefore the clamping point of the cable 7 will not remain at its original axial position, but will continuously follow the midpoint between the two telescopic ends.

[0049] During the shortening process described above, the rotation of gear 54 simultaneously drives gear 62 to rotate, which in turn drives gear ring 63 and rotating sleeve 61 to rotate along the predetermined winding direction. Since the middle section of cable 7 is clamped on rotating sleeve 61 by fastening plate 65, the circumferential rotation of rotating sleeve 61 brings the cable segment towards the periphery of the fitting; furthermore, because rotating sleeve 61 moves axially synchronously with sliding sleeve 51, the clamping point forms a composite trajectory of axial and circumferential directions in space. Therefore, the excess cable length generated by the shortening of the column is not folded into a small-radius U-shape at a single position, but is gradually distributed to both sides of rotating sleeve 61, forming a spiral segment.

[0050] As the column continues to shorten, the relative displacement between the fixed tube 3 and the protective tube 4 increases cumulatively. The sliding sleeve 51 continues to move according to the stroke halving relationship, and the cumulative rotation angle of the rotating sleeve 61 also increases according to the pitch circle diameter of gear 1 54 and the transmission relationship between gear 2 62 and gear ring 63. If the above parameters have been set according to the maximum extension stroke and the required winding and unwinding length, the spiral cable storage capacity of cable 7 increases synchronously with the shortening of the column. In this way, at any intermediate height, the situation of large sections of loose excess cable due to insufficient winding amount and the continuous tension of the desktop or base frame side cable segments due to the winding amount exceeding the actual allowance can be reduced.

[0051] When the telescopic column 1 reaches the designed shortened position, the cable 7's cable storage capacity reaches the state corresponding to that position. The helical segment is distributed along a certain axial length and circumferential range, and its bending variation is mainly borne by the effective winding diameter near the rotating sleeve 61, the curved surface of the threading groove 64, and the helical path. Since the cable 7 does not need to form a one-time sharp turnback in a narrow area, the local minimum bending radius is more easily controlled by the structural dimensions, and it also reduces the chance of the cable 7 extending laterally into the movement range of transmission components such as the lead screw 21.

[0052] When the lead screw 21 rotates in the reverse direction and moves the telescopic column 1 from the shortened state to the extended state, the relative movement direction of the fixed tube 3 and the protective tube 4 reverses, and the relative movement direction of rack 52 and rack 53 also reverses accordingly. The rotation direction of gear 54 changes, and the sliding sleeve 51 continues to follow the stroke halfway in the opposite direction to the shortening process; gear 62, which is coaxial with gear 54, also rotates in the reverse direction, thereby driving the gear ring 63 and the rotating sleeve 61 to rotate in the unwinding direction.

[0053] When the rotating sleeve 61 rotates in the reverse direction, the spiral segments originally formed on both sides are gradually released, and the released cable length is used to compensate for the gradually increasing axial distance between the first column tube 11 and the second column tube 12. Since the unwinding action is mechanically achieved in reverse by the same set of rack, gear, and gear ring, its action sequence is the opposite of the winding process, but the transmission path is the same, so there is no need to determine the height of the column separately. After the column returns to its fully extended state, the cable 7 returns to its basic released state, thus completing one reversible winding and unwinding cycle.

[0054] When the column stops at any intermediate position, no new relative displacement occurs between the fixed tube 3 and the protective tube 4. Gear 1 54 stops rotating and moving axially, the sliding sleeve 51 remains at the midpoint corresponding to the current stroke, and gear 2 62, gear ring 63, and rotating sleeve 61 also stop. At this time, cable 7 retains the spiral cable storage amount corresponding to that height. Upon restarting, as long as the direction of column movement is determined, all follower components continue to move in the corresponding direction. Therefore, the entire cable management process is naturally synchronized with the column displacement.

[0055] With the midpoint follow-up mechanism 5 and the rotating take-up mechanism 6 mechanically coupled, the winding and unwinding of the cable 7 no longer depends on separately detecting the column height and then controlling the winding motor. For the lifting table in frequent lifting, short-stroke adjustments, or mid-stroke reversals, the relative displacement of the rack itself constitutes the mechanical input for the winding and unwinding action. For each forward displacement of the column, the rotating sleeve 61 generates a corresponding forward rotation angle; for each reverse displacement of the column, the rotating sleeve 61 generates a corresponding reverse rotation angle, thereby reducing the possibility of the winding action separating from the column action due to asynchronous control signals.

[0056] For cables 7 of different lengths, outer diameters, or permissible bending radii, the effective winding diameter of the rotating sleeve 61, the pitch circle diameter of gear one 54, and the transmission ratio between gear two 62 and gear ring 63 can be redefined while keeping the basic motion principles of the fixed tube 3, protective tube 4, sliding sleeve 51, and two racks unchanged. The design should be based on the actual length that cable 7 needs to absorb within its maximum stroke, rather than directly replacing the required cable length with the theoretical column stroke, because the end connection position, internal winding path, and installation allowance can all affect the actual cable length. By first determining the actual required length and then setting the above transmission parameters, the transmission relationship can be made suitable for different lifting table specifications.

[0057] For the bending control of cable 7, the inlet and outlet of the cable guide 64 should also be considered. Even if the effective diameter of the rotating sleeve 61 body is large enough, if cable 7 needs to bypass sharp edges when entering the cable guide 64, local small-radius bends may still occur. Therefore, in this embodiment, the cable guide 64 is made curved at least on one side facing the main bending direction, so that cable 7 has continuous curvature when transitioning from the axial path to the circumferential path. The clamping area of ​​the fastening plate 65 mates with this curved surface, so that the fixing point is located in the controlled transition area, rather than at a sharp corner.

[0058] The electric lifting system includes an electric height-adjustable desk 9, a controller, a remote control, and a power module, which are not shown in the accompanying drawings. The electric height-adjustable desk 9 includes a desktop 91, a base frame 92, a drive unit 93, and at least two lifting columns, each connected between the desktop 91 and the base frame 92. At least one of the lifting columns is a wire harness-concealed lifting aluminum column. The controller controls the operation of the drive unit 93, the remote control inputs lifting operation commands to the controller, and the power module supplies power to the electrical components in the electric lifting system. The drive unit 93 is installed below the desktop 91 and is connected to the power input end of the lead screw drive assembly 2, used to synchronously or individually drive the telescopic column 1 of each lifting column. One end of the cable 7 extends to the base frame 92 side, and the other end extends to the desktop 91 side, used to connect electrical components located at different height references. Because the wire harness-concealed lifting aluminum column can handle the internal cable slack using its own telescopic movement, there is no need to additionally install a large-swing drag chain or suspended loop outside the cable to bear the entire stroke change during the lifting of the desktop 91.

[0059] In use, the power module supplies power to the electrical components in the electric lifting system. The user inputs a command to lower the tabletop via remote control, and the controller activates the drive mechanism 93, causing the tabletop 91 of the electric lifting table 9 to descend, and the corresponding telescopic column 1 to shorten. At this time, the cable 7 gradually forms a spiral storage loop at the rotating sleeve 61; when the tabletop 91 stops descending, the winding stops synchronously. After the user inputs a command to raise the tabletop via remote control, the controller activates the drive mechanism 93, causing the tabletop 91 to rise, the column to extend, and the rotating sleeve 61 to release the cable 7 in the reverse direction. Because the middle section of the cable 7 is fixed at the moving rotating sleeve 61, any changes in cable allowance on the tabletop and base sides are absorbed or released from the controlled middle position, helping to prevent slack buildup on one side after multiple lifting operations.

[0060] During maintenance, first move the column to a position that facilitates the release of tension on cable 7, then remove the fastening plate 65 through the mounting port 8 to disengage the middle section of cable 7 from the rotating sleeve 61. If only cable 7 needs to be replaced, it is not necessary to change the meshing relationship between rack 1 52, rack 2 53, gear 1 54, gear 2 62, and gear ring 63; after re-threading the cable of the same specification, simply restore the clamping at the specified initial height. If the outer diameter, allowable bending radius, or required winding length of the replaced cable changes significantly, the effective winding diameter, the pitch circle diameter of gear 1 54, and the transmission ratio between gear 2 62 and gear ring 63 should be rechecked to ensure they meet the winding requirements of the cable.

[0061] Working Principle: When the telescopic column 1 is fully extended, the cable 7 is essentially released, and the sliding sleeve 51 is located at the midpoint corresponding to the current position of the fixed tube 3 and the protective tube 4. After the column shortens, rack 1 52 and rack 2 53 generate relative displacement, and gear 1 54 rotates while driving the sliding sleeve 51 to move by half its stroke; gear 1 54 then drives the rotating sleeve 61 to rotate via coaxial gear 2 62 and gear ring 63. The rotating sleeve 61 drives the middle section of the clamped cable 7 to move circumferentially, while simultaneously moving axially with the sliding sleeve 51, so that the excess cable length gradually forms a spiral cable storage. When the column extends, the above-mentioned movement directions are all reversed, and the rotating sleeve 61 gradually releases the spiral and releases the cable 7. Through this mechanical linkage of axial midpoint follow-up and circumferential rotation for retraction and release, the cable 7 has a controlled retraction and release point and a reversible cable storage path that changes with the position of the column throughout the entire lifting stroke.

[0062] In this embodiment, the pitch circle diameter of gear 54, the tooth ratio and tooth width of gear 62 and gear ring 63, and the specific diameter of rotating sleeve 61 can be determined according to the internal space of the column, the designed stroke, the cable specifications, and the load. As long as the double-sided meshing relationship between gear 54 and racks 52 and 53 can be maintained, and the rotation of gear 54 is transmitted to rotating sleeve 61 through gears 62 and 63, the above-mentioned midpoint follow-up and rotational winding and unwinding functions can be realized. Changes in the corresponding parameters are dimensional adaptations to the same motion relationship and do not change the basic principle of this invention that directly generates the cable winding and unwinding action through the relative displacement of the column.

[0063] This embodiment is described using a two-stage telescopic column 1 consisting of a first column tube 11 and a second column tube 12. The fixed tube 3 and the protective tube 4 are respectively established on the motion reference of the two relatively telescopic parts, and their relative displacement serves as the mechanical input of the midpoint follow-up mechanism 5 and the rotating take-up mechanism 6.

[0064] The above-described structure is used to illustrate the implementation of the present invention. Without altering the core relationships of the relative motion between the fixed tube and the protective tube, the two racks driving the sliding sleeve to halve its stroke, the gear one driving the rotating sleeve via gear two and the gear ring, and the cable section forming a reversible spiral extension and retraction with the rotating sleeve, the dimensions and installation positions can be adjusted according to the actual column cross-section and cable specifications.

Claims

1. A wire harness concealed lifting aluminum column, comprising a telescopic column body and a cable located inside the telescopic column body, wherein the telescopic column body comprises a first column tube and a second column tube that extend and retract relative to each other along the axial direction, characterized in that: It also includes a first motion reference component and a second motion reference component that move axially with the first and second column tubes, respectively, a midpoint follower mechanism, and a rotating take-up mechanism; the first motion reference component and the second motion reference component move relative to each other axially; the midpoint follower mechanism includes a sliding sleeve and a follower transmission assembly that cooperates with the first and second motion reference components, the follower transmission assembly causing the axial displacement of the sliding sleeve relative to the first motion reference component to be half of the relative axial displacement of the two motion reference components; the rotating take-up mechanism includes a rotating sleeve rotatably disposed on the sliding sleeve and a rotating transmission assembly, the rotating transmission assembly being mechanically linked with the relative axial movement of the two motion reference components and driving the rotating sleeve to rotate in both directions; the middle section of the cable is fixed relative to the rotating sleeve in the circumferential direction, the rotating sleeve moves and rotates axially with the sliding sleeve, so as to form a spiral cable storage when the telescopic column shortens, and to release the spiral cable storage in the reverse direction when the telescopic column extends.

2. The wire harness concealed lifting aluminum column according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first motion reference component is a fixed tube, and the second motion reference component is a protective tube. The fixed tube is axially synchronized with the first column tube, and the protective tube is relatively fixed with the second column tube. The column also includes a lead screw and a nut that is threadedly engaged with the lead screw. The nut is located at one end of the fixed tube, and the protective tube is located outside the lead screw. One end of the protective tube is sleeved on the outside of the fixed tube and forms an axial sliding fit with the fixed tube.

3. The wire harness concealed lifting aluminum column according to claim 1, characterized in that, The follower transmission assembly includes a rack one disposed on the first motion reference member, a rack two disposed on the second motion reference member, and a gear one rotatably mounted on the sliding sleeve. The rack one and the rack two extend along the axial direction of the column and are respectively located on opposite sides of the gear one. The opposite sides of the gear one mesh with the rack one and the rack two respectively, so that the axial displacement of the sliding sleeve relative to any one of the motion reference members is half of the relative axial displacement of the two motion reference members.

4. The wire harness concealed lifting aluminum column according to claim 3, characterized in that, The rotary transmission assembly includes a second gear fixed to the same shaft as the first gear and a gear ring fixed to the rotary sleeve. The gear ring is disposed on the inner circumference of the rotary sleeve. The second gear and the gear ring form an internal meshing transmission to transmit the rotation of the first gear caused by the relative movement of the two racks to the rotary sleeve.

5. The wire harness concealed lifting aluminum column according to claim 4, characterized in that, The pitch circle diameter of the first gear and the tooth ratio of the second gear to the gear ring are determined based on the maximum extension stroke of the column, the cable length to be retracted or extended corresponding to the maximum extension stroke, and the effective winding diameter when the cable forms a spiral storage, so that the cable length to be retracted or extended corresponding to the cumulative rotation of the rotating sleeve within the maximum extension stroke corresponds to the cable length to be retracted or extended.

6. The wire harness concealed lifting aluminum column according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rotating sleeve is fitted around the outer periphery of the sliding sleeve and rotates in cooperation with the sliding sleeve. It rotates relative to the sliding sleeve about the axis of the telescopic column. The rotating sleeve moves synchronously with the sliding sleeve along the axial direction of the telescopic column, so that the middle section of the cable, which is relatively fixed in the circumferential direction with the rotating sleeve, simultaneously generates axial and circumferential displacement.

7. The wire harness concealed lifting aluminum column according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rotating sleeve is provided with a threading groove for the cable to pass through and a fastening plate for clamping the cable in the threading groove. At least one side of the threading groove is provided with a continuous curved surface for guiding the cable to bend and transition.

8. The wire harness concealed lifting aluminum column according to claim 7, characterized in that, The telescopic column has an installation port at a position corresponding to the fastening plate, through which the fastening plate is inserted or removed.

9. An electric lifting system, comprising an electric lifting table, a controller, a remote control, and a power module, wherein the electric lifting table includes a tabletop, a base frame, a drive unit, and at least two lifting columns, characterized in that, The lifting column is connected between the desktop and the base frame, and at least one lifting column is a wire harness concealed lifting aluminum column as described in any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. The electric lifting system according to claim 9, characterized in that, One end of the cable leads to the base frame side, and the other end leads to the desktop side.

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